In the past, there have been many different types of medical devices for containing and delivering medicinal solutions into the veins of a patient. Such devices typically include a flexible container or bag which holds the particular I.V. solution to be delivered to the patient. The I.V. bag is typically sealed with the solution inside the bag in a sterile environment. The I.V. bag may include one or two ports for allowing release of the I.V. solution. Flexible tubing is typically provided which has one end connectable to the port on the I.V. bag, and the other end connectable to an I.V. catheter pre-inserted into a patient. There may be valves associated with the tube and various mechanisms for controlling the flow into the patient. Typically the bag tubing and any extension tubing that are used also must be subjected to sterile packaging and conditions for proper use.
Over the years, various devices for delivering I.V. solutions have included such devices as the Parenteral fluid container and closure assembly as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,209,752, to Bujan, et al. This discloses a protective closure assembly for the tubular portion of the apparatus.
Another device is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,473 to Raines for a self-contained secondary solution set. This discloses a self-contained I.V. set for infusing drugs having a mini I.V. container with a filtered air vent and valve filling port which uses a disposable syringe. A drip chamber below the mini I.V. container receives medication through a drip device at the bottom of the container.
Another device is that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,727 to Ogden, et al. for a flexible I.V. container. This discloses a piece of flexible tubing which is used to connect with other tubings in an I.V. fluid system.
With each of the above-mentioned devices, and with all devices in this field pertaining to intravenous solutions, it is critical that the particular apparatus for delivering the I.V. solution to the patient establish and maintain sterile conditions to ensure no foreign bacterial or viruses get into the system, and consequently into the patient's veins. Thus, such apparatus typically come prepackaged in sterile packages or containers, i.e., the tubing comes in a sterile container, and each end of the tube is covered with a cap or other mechanism for maintaining sterile conditions.
In an emergency situation, such as that encountered by paramedics in caring for patients found at traumatic situations in the field, time is very precious. In particular, a delay of just a few seconds in establishing advanced life support services, and an I.V. for quick volume replacement with the proper medicated solution in particular, can mean the difference between life and death. In addition to the time factor, is the human resource factor, i.e., a sufficient number of qualified personnel to deliver the medical services for the field emergency situation at hand. Many times in field emergency situations, especially when there is more than one patient at a scene, allocation of personnel among patients could be crucial. In particular, with respect to establishing an I.V., use of current methods and procedures as known in the prior art typically requires two individuals to establish the I.V. connection with the patient in a short period of time. For example, conventional I.V. bags are packed in a sterile package, and a conventional I.V. tubing kit is also packed in a conventional package. The I.V. tubing kit includes a valve on one end which can be inserted into a port on the conventional I.V. bag, and a cap on the other end. In addition, extension tubing is packaged in another, third, separate bag in a sterile fashion.
Once the emergency personnel or paramedics arrive on the scene with the proper equipment and have made the proper diagnosis, and have elected to start an I.V. solution, begin to assemble the various components. The I.V. bag opens from the package and removed, and the tubing is removed from the sterile package. One end of the tubing is inserted into a port of the I.V. bag and a connection is made. Once the I.V. bag, tubing, and extension tubing, have been assembled, they must also be primed, in other words the fluid from the bag must be introduced into the tube and remove any air bubbles in the line so as to prevent any air bubbles from going into the patient, with the line then being full of the I.V. solution fluid. This assembly operation of the various components requires two hands of the person putting the I.V. bag and flexible tube together. The same or another individual medically-trained staff, such as paramedic must introduce a needle/catheter into the vein of the patient, which requires both hands for insertion, and after insertion at least one hand to hold the vein immediately proximal to the I.V. needle to prevent blood from squirting out of the open I.V. catheter to which the tubing has not yet been connected.
It may readily be seen that the assembly procedure for connecting the flexible tubing, and any extension ports, to the I.V. fluid bag, while maintaining necessary sterile conditions, requires both hands of at least one person. If the scene of the trauma with the patient is such that only one medical professional can complete both steps of (i) assembling the bag, tubing, and extension tubing, and priming the system, and (ii) inserting the needle/catheter into the vein of the patient which is then ready for the primed I.V. tubing to be connected. The total time before the fluid can be introduced into the patient is thus the total time of the first step plus the total time of the second step. As an alternative, steps (i) and (ii) can be accomplished in a quick fashion by two individuals accomplishing each separate task simultaneously. While this reduces the amount of time required, it can readily be seen that it requires two individuals to accomplish it. Thus it can readily be seen that in situations where time for delivery of the solution is critical, if there is only one individual available the time to establish the I.V. by one person doing the entire task will be increased, which increase in time can mean death to the patient.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an emergency I.V. set-up apparatus which allows an I.V. solution connection be established with a patient in a very short period of time.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an emergency I.V. set-up apparatus constructed to accommodate establishment of an I.V. solution connection to a patient in a short period of time by one person.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an emergency I.V. set-up apparatus which is durable in construction and reliable in operation.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a emergency I.V. set-up apparatus which is simple and convenient to use.